When Ruel Joyner asked his Savannah Downtown Business Association allies to find an exciting act for the April 26 installment of Blues on Broughton, he wasn’t sure who they’d find.

But when word found its way to the business owner and SDBA president that they had secured a performance from one of the world’s foremost Chicago-style blues musicians, Joyner knew the city was in for a treat.

“They went out and got ‘Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin; it’s going to be amazing,” Joyner said. “I honestly don’t know how they got him here, but I couldn’t be more excited.”

Margolin, a Grammy nominee who spent most of the 1970s as Blues legend Muddy Waters’ guitarist and right-hand man, will play a set of his style of old-school Chicago blues on a stage set up in the middle of Broughton Street between Drayton and Bull streets.

From Europe where he was touring last week, Margolin said he was excited about returning to Savannah and playing a free concert right in the heart of downtown.

“I’ll have a fine band with me who can play this style well, too, and some great singers, as well,” Margolin said. “We may rock and roll a little, too.

“We try to be good entertainers and storytellers as well as players, and I try to treat my audience as friends so we can enjoy the music together. I’m excited about this show.”

Local blues band Brett Barnard and the Hitman Band will open for Margolin in the concert slated for 6-9 p.m.

The Blues on Broughton series was designed to bring people downtown for something a little different.

“It’s something for the locals and the tourists as well, to get them up on Broughton Street and show them that there’s a lot right here,” Joyner said. “We’ve got a lot of new stores and restaurants along the Broughton corridor that a lot of people don’t know about; this is a chance to show them that and give them something really different.”

Different, and really cool.

“And it’s free,” Joyner added. “And it’s Bob Margolin, and if you’re into blues or you want to just hear some really great music, you can’t beat ‘Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin.”

Joyner and Margolin both said they hoped to see a large crowd for the concert.

“I expect we’ll get folks who really love blues music, but I think what we do will appeal to, entertain and perhaps deeply move anyone who is open to that,” Margolin said. “I really appreciate being able to play (in Savannah), and for those who have not heard blues music before, it’s fun for me to see them respond to the discovery.”